League of Legends: The Glorious Evolution
by Anonymous Uke
Summary: When the mad Zaunite Techmaturgist Viktor sets in motion his plan to turn all sapient life on Valoran into machines, the heroes of Runeterra must band together to stop the evil cyborg from ruling the world. Can the Defenders of Tomorrow stop the Glorious Evolution?
1. Downfall

Hello everyone! I know it's been a long time since I published anything, but I've been ridiculously busy. So, here is something! The first chapter of my League of Legends fan fiction! I hope you enjoy it!

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The shadowed halls of the Institute of War echo with the whispers of summoners. Some sit silently in the study, researching history and politics and magic. Some sit together and converse, speaking softly so as to not disturb anyone else. Others aimlessly meander about the institution, for the Fields of Justice lay silent.

Vessaria Kolminye and the other high councilors sit around a large stone table, deliberating on the future actions and course of the League.

Councilor 1: I fear that the League is not satiating the resentment and bloodlust of the great city-states. They are becoming restless. Noxus and Zaun are growing more powerful by the day. They will soon see no use in the League and will instead go to war.

Vessaria: Nonsense. They have taken the solemn oath to resolve all conflicts via the League tournaments. They would not dare challenge the Institute to a battle of legality.

Councilor 2: Agreed. Noxus is known for their audacity, but such a move would be political suicide.

Councilor 1: Who's to say they would even go through or to the Institute? They have no quarrel with us. They would probably begin by mobilizing the Zaunite war machine against Piltover.

Councilor 2: They would not dare! That would disrupt…

Suddenly, the chamber shakes as a loud explosion is heard from outside. The sound of lasers, missiles, magic, and shouting ensue. Vessaria and the two councilors run out to see what is happening. As they turn the corner into the main hall of the Institute, they see summoners battling a squadron of Battle-Cast Urgots. The Urgots fire upon them relentlessly, forcing the summoners deeper into the halls. Vessaria and the councilors join the fight. They pummel the mechanical monstrosities with a barrage of arcane bolts. The laser fire ceases.

The summoners watch the smoke anxiously. Suddenly, four red eyes light up high in the smoke. Two Battle-Cast Prime Cho'gaths let out a mechanical roar, charging into the summoners. They ruthlessly slay any summoners unfortunate enough to get caught in their path. Vessaria fights the abominations viciously. As they advance, she looks past them. There, walking through the smoke, is Creator Viktor. At his side are the dreaded headhunter, Warwick, and two Batle-Cast Vel'koz. The unaware Vessaria is struck by a Cho'gath, being slung against the wall. The impact knocks her unconscious.

The Battle-Cast army battles deeper into the Institute. Upon reaching a particular intersection, Viktor stops. He scans the area. Upon seeing a chamber filled with dark energy, he motions for the two Vel'koz to follow him.

Viktor: Warwick, lead the assault forces. I have something to attend to.

Warwick nods, running ahead to fight the summoner resistance. Viktor makes his way to the chamber. He blows the doors off. Inside, a deep, stagnant dark rests upon the chamber. In the center of the room is the crow covered Fiddlesticks. The two Vel'koz position themselves on either side of him. Viktor powers up his death ray.

Viktor: I'm sorry, Fiddlesticks. This is nothing personal, but seeing as the League of Legends is no more, your use has run out. So, goodbye.

With that, Viktor unleashes his death ray upon the scarecrow, the crows scattering. Likewise, both Vel'koz unleash their Life Form Disintegration Rays upon the immobile champion. The three burn Fiddlesticks to cinders. When they are done, only ash remains. After a moment of silence, Viktor turns and leaves the chamber. The two Vel'koz follow.

When Vessaria awakes, Viktor and Warwick are standing over her. Viktor kneels down.

Vessaria: Why…*cough*… are you doing this, Viktor?

Viktor: You see, my dear councilor, I have a dream. I have a dream that this world will one day become a world of machines, a world of perfect beings. No war, no sickness, no… weakness. It is the glorious evolution. Unfortunately, this institution is the foremost obstacle to my plans. So, I had to remove it. I had to remove YOU.

Vessaria: You won't get away with this…*cough*… You monster.

Viktor: No, he's the monster.

Viktor motions his head toward Warwick. Warwick gives a terrifying, toothy grin. Viktor stands up.

Viktor: Kill her.

Viktor walks away. Warwick approaches her. In her last look of terror, the reflection of the snarling, drooling beast rests upon her eyes. Warwick brings his terrible claws to bear. Blood spatters upon the walls. Vessaria draws her final breath, her body hitting the ground with a chilling thud. Viktor, Warwick, and the two Vel'koz leave the Institute of War. As they descend the great staircase, Viktor presses a button on his staff. All of the Battle-Cast Urgots and Cho'gaths suddenly stop. Their chests open, revealing a timer set for thirty seconds. As Viktor and his entourage walk away, the Institute goes up in a massive blaze behind them. The building explodes and collapses upon itself, killing everyone inside.

Viktor: War has begun. There is no turning back. I will return to Zaun to oversee the production of the Batte-Cast legions. For you, Warwick, I have a special assignment.

Warwick gives his awful grin.


	2. The Freljord's Might

The mighty, howling winds of the Freljord whip through the mountain pass. The snow bites and stings anyone foolish enough to brave the blizzard. Ashe, however, is quite unphased.

She slowly and cautiously trudges through the snow, her bow drawn, her string taut. She glances every which way, occasionally looking behind herself. Suddenly, she hears a growl. She quickly takes cover behind a rock. She carefully peeks around the rock. There is nothing there. She takes a deep breath and leaps from behind cover. She aims, but there is only sky. She looks around and around, but the source of the growl evades her. She hears it again, spinning around and aiming once more, but there is nothing still.

On a rock above and behind Ashe, a large dragon creeps. It positions itself, rearing its head back. Its mouth agape and glowing orange with the light of dragon's flame, the beast unleashes the pillar of fire. Just as it is about to strike Ashe, a mighty bulwark lands between her and the inferno. Braum shields Ashe from the fire with his indestructible door. She spins around to see the brawny man holding back the dragon's wrath. In the midst of all this, he looks at Ashe and gives a big, warm smile. Ashe smiles and nods.

Once the dragon can blow no more, Ashe runs up Braum's back, leaping over the door and firing a massive enchanted ice arrow. It strikes the dragon in the face, knocking it off the rock. This only serves to enrage the lizard. It flails back onto its feet. Ashe fires ice arrows at its feet, freezing it in place. She and Braum use this as an opportunity to run. The dragon roars, shattering the ice and pursuing the champions. They run down the mountain, dodging fire blasts all the way. They finally find themselves trapped in a ravine. The dragon has cornered them.

With nowhere to go, Braum takes his mighty shield and strikes the canyon wall with all of his might. The force creates a rockslide-avalanche. Braum grabs Ashe and holds her under the door as the rubble buries them and the dragon. Everything goes silent. Only the eternally howling winds of the Frejord remain. Suddenly, Braum bursts from the snow, Ashe by his side. Ashe runs over to where the dragon was buried. She slowly steps over onto the mound. The dragon's head explodes from the rubble. It is prepared to roast Ashe. With deific reflexes, Ashes fires her enchanted arrow down the dragon's throat. It freezes him from the inside out, suffocating the beast. The dragon flails and claws until it finally dies. Braum walks over and triumphantly puts his boot on the dragon's head.

Braum: The beast will no longer terrorize our village.

Ashe: Indeed, but it's shame we had to kill such a beautiful creature. *Sigh* Such is life in the Freljord.

The two champions leave the dragon to its icy fate and begin making their way back to the village. When they arrive, they head into the tavern. A shady figure in a cloak is sitting at the bar. Braum, being Braum, approaches him. He slaps his shoulder and shouts.

Braum: Two meads for me and my friend here, uh… What is your name, friend?

The cloaked man turns his head, revealing that it is Shen.

Shen: Shen.

Braum: For me and my friend, Shen! Wait, Shen? Shen! What brings you so far north?

Ashe approaches and sits on the other side of Shen.

Shen: Grave news, I'm afraid. The world has fallen into dire imbalance. The Institute of War has been obliterated. The League of Legends is no more.

Ashe: How is that possible? The Institute is guarded by the most powerful mages in Valoran.

Braum: And that scary scarecrow thing!

Shen: That may be so, but High Councilor Vessaria Kolminye and Fiddlesticks are both dead, along with all of the Institute's staff. Even the building has been leveled.

Ashe: Who is capable of causing such devastation?

Braum: Not one man or woman. A great army.

Shen: We do not know, but the Kinkou are investigating. However, that is not what I came to tell the two of you. This is a major crisis, and every city-state knows it. Zaun and Noxus will surely prepare for war. Knowing this, Jayce has summoned all champions that stand for law and order to meet with him in Piltover. There, he will convene a meeting on how to deal with the situation.

Ashe: We will be there.

Braum: You can count on us!

Shen: Good. We will need all the help we can get. Shadows descend on us all. Be watchful. May the Great Equilibrium be with you.

With that, Shen vanishes in a flash of light a smoke. Ashe and Braum look at each other and nod, leaving the tavern and preparing to embark on their journey to Piltover.


	3. Divide and Conquer

The brutal noon-day sun shines in the sky. A train speeds down the Demacia-Piltover Railway. The royal crest of Demacia adorns the front of the locomotive engine. Jarvan IV and Lux relax in the lounge car. Garen, Quinn, and Xin Zhao casually chat and eat lunch in the dining car.

Xin: So, what do you think really happened at the Institute?

Quinn: Further investigation found remnants of Battle-Cast combatants. Viktor's work.

Garen: But didn't the Institute house a number of Battle-Cast husks as, I don't know, relics? Museum exhibits?

Xin: Yeah, that's what Viktor said when questioned by the League's investigators. He denied any and all involvement in the incident.

Garen: Do you guys think he did it?

Quinn: I wouldn't put it past him. He's a Zaunite mad scientist, and he's tried to destroy Piltover in the past.

Xin: I think he's guilty. Plain and simple.

Garen: Yeah, well, that's not Demacia's way. He must stand a fair trial and be brought to justice.

Quinn: Neither Zaun nor Noxus will have that. They don't exactly believe in "truth, justice, and the Demacian way."

Xin: Bandle City, Ionia, Piltover, and Freljord will stand with us. Bilgewater, I'm not sure. And no one on either side is going to ask Shurima raiders or the Shadow Isles' denizens for help.

Quinn: I have done some favors for Gangplank and Fortune in the past. I may be able to invoke some political clout from Bilgewater.

Garen: I hope so. We'll need all the help we can get.

The train is passing through the Ironspike Mountains. Jarvan IV has drifted off to sleep. Lux is looking out the window, playing with light in her hand. As they pass a large peak, she sees a bridge in the distance. As she watches it, the bridge explodes. Her eyes widen with terror. She leaps up and grabs Jarvan.

Lux: My lord! Wake up! Wake up!

Jarvan is shaken awake.

Lux: The bridge just exploded! We're going to crash into the ravine!

Jarvan IV: What?! Go tell the conductor!

Lux nods, turning and running to the front of the car. When she opens the door, the conductor is standing there with a blank look on his face.

Lux: Sir?

Suddenly, the conductor's lifeless corpse slumps to the ground. Behind him stands Warwick. The beast kicks Lux in the stomach, knocking her on her back.

Warwick: You're not going anywhere.

Warwick pulls out a detonator and presses the button. The connector on the back of the lounge car explodes, leaving the rest of the train behind. At the sound of the blast, Garen, Quinn, and Xin, rush to the front of the dining car. When Xin slings open the door, they find the train too far ahead of them to jump.

Xin: Damn it!

Xin slams his fist on the door frame

Jarvan grabs his lance and rushes Warwick. The lance extends, but Warwick simply turns his body, evading the strike. He grabs the extended lance, pulling Jarvan toward him. He punches the crown prince in the face, causing him to do a backflip forward. At the sight of light in his lower peripherals, he looks down to see Lux with a light ball in her hand. She fires it at Warwick. It strikes his chest and explodes, shattering all of the windows. He flies upward, striking the roof before falling back to the floor. Jarvan stands up, lifting his lance over his head. He thrusts it down on top of Warwick, but the wolf Flashes forward. Jarvan looks up and Lux spins around to see Warwick standing at the back of the car.

Warwick runs toward them on all fours. Lux fires a light laser, but Warwick leaps onto the wall, continuing to run toward them. She tries again but he leaps to the opposite wall. Jarvan leaps forward, stabbing through the wall with his lance. He swings on his lance, kicking Warwick in the face. The beast falls to the ground. As he tries to stand, Lux strikes him in the face with her staff, the tip exploding with light. He flies backward, skidding along the floor. The two Demacians stand side by side, pointing their weapons at the monster. Warwick wipes the blood from his mouth and chuckles.

Warwick: It seems I'm outmatched. It matters not. I've stalled long enough.

Warwick begins to recall.

Jarvan IV: No!

Jarvan lunges for the beast, but he warps out just before Jarvan can grab him.

Jarvan IV: Damn it. He escaped.

Lux: Sir, I think we have bigger problems.

The train is already going over the edge. Jarvan quickly grabs Lux, throwing her out the window. Lux rolls along the ground. After coming to a stop, she looks up, seeing the train fall into the ravine. The sound and light of an explosion follow shortly.

Lux: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

The other three Demacians finally catch up with them. They find Lux lying on the ground, crying. Xin Zhao runs over to her.

Xin: Lux, where is the prince?!

Lux: He's… He's… gone!

Lux's sobbing is renewed. Garen falls to his knees. He looks to heaven, unleashing a mighty shout. Quinn hangs her head, hiding the soft tears.

Garen: My lord…. I… I have failed you… I have failed Demacia…

Viktor is looking through a scrying orb, watching the morale-depleted Demacians mourn their prince.

Viktor: You have done well, Warwick. Very, very well.

Two red eyes open behind Viktor. A chilling, toothy grin follows.


	4. Shifting Sands

Since the resurrection of Shurima and the ascendance of its emperor, Azir, people from all across Valoran, who have traced their lineage back to the ancient sands, have flocked to the capital to once again bask in the magnificent light of the sun disk. The streets are abuzz with news of the fall of the League of Legends. Whispers of war permeate the market place.

Within the palace grounds, where gardens hang and waters flow, Azir and Sivir walk among the tranquility. They make their way into a column-enclosed corridor overlooking the city. Azir stops and turns to the city, putting his hands behind his back. Sivir gazes out at the beautiful landscape.

Azir: Do you like what you see, Sivir?

Sivir: I do. It's breathtaking, my emperor.

Azir: One day, when I make you my queen, it will all be yours.

Sivir: Oh, no. I could never. I am not queen material. Surely, my emperor, you can think of someone more fit for such a responsibility.

Azir: There is no woman more fit to rule, Sivir. And please, "Azir" will do just fine.

Sivir turns her head toward Azir. She smiles softly. Azir turns his whole body toward her. He takes her hand, placing it up against his beak. She hears a kissing noise from behind the mask. Although she cannot see it, she senses a genuine smile on his face. The two turn back to the city. Sivir takes Azir's hand. Azir holds it tightly. Suddenly, a presence enters the room. Azir feels a shift in the sands. Without turning around, he addresses the entity.

Azir: Hve you something to report, Curator?

Nasus stands in the shadows behind them.

Nasus: Indeed, my emperor. I bring grave news of imminent conflict.

Azir: Imminent conflict?

Nasus: My lord, the League of Legends is no more. The high council and all of the summoners have been eliminated. Even the Institute of War was utterly destroyed.

The two turn around to face Nasus.

Sivir: What? How is that even possible?

Azir: A dark and unrelenting force, no doubt. Have any conflicts begun elsewhere?

Nasus: Not yet, but Noxus and Demacia have already begun mobilizing their militaries. I suggest we secure our borders and prepare for war.

Azir: I agree. Sivir, I do not take joy in asking you this, but I need you to take your band of mercenaries and patrol our border with Noxus. If they attempt to come through the Tempest Flats, we must know.

Sivir: Understood, my lord.

As Sivir tries to leave, Azir grabs her arm.

Azir: Be safe, please.

Sivir smiles and nods. Azir lets go, and she exits the corridor.

Nasus: I have seen her exploits in the Fields of Justice. She will survive. Killing that woman is nigh impossible, my emperor.

Azir: I know, it's just… Nevermind. Have you anything else to report?

Nasus: Yes. I have this.

Nasus hands Azir a letter. Azir opens it and reads it silently.

Azir: So, Jayce has summoned the Emperor of Shurima to Piltover. Does he actually believe that diplomacy is viable at this point?

Nasus: It appears so, but we both know better.

Shen: If you do not even try, you will bear the responsibility of the blood that is shed. As will all who apathetically stand by as chaos and imbalance consume Valoran.

The two ascendant beings turn to see Shen walking toward them.

Nasus: The Eye of Twilight. It is an honor.

Shen: The honor is mine, Curator. Azir, you must at least make an appearance. Your political weight could sway the tide of what is to come. If you call for peace, many will stand behind you.

Azir stands silently for a moment.

Azir: Very well. I will go, but I will still secure my empire. Nasus, will you command my legions until I return?

Nasus: It shall be done, my emperor.

Shen: Travel cautiously, Azir. Those responsible for this imbalance are still very much at work. I will see you in Piltover.

With that, Shen vanishes into thin air.

* * *

Somewhere deep in the dark, dank crypts of the Shadow Isles, the vile spirit lords gather in a chamber lit by candles with sickly green flames. Karthus, the Death Singer; Hecarim, the Shadow of War; Thresh, the Chain Warden; and Nocturne, the Eternal Nightmare.

Karthus: The hour of evil's triumph is close at hand. The League of Legends has fallen, the summoners slain to the last man. Soon, our enemies will be at war, their strength divided. When their morale is low and their resolve subsided, we shall strike the mortal blow.

Hecarim: At long last, we shall slay the living, and death will consume Valoran.

Thresh: My lantern hungers for tormented souls.

Nocturne: And soon it shall be satiated. Their nightmare has only just begun.

Hecarim: I will prepare the undead hordes. When our enemies are at their weakest, we shall consume them.

Hecarim leaps into the nether.

Karthus: Nocturne, go to Valoran. Spread fear, discension, and hatred among the living. Our victory over life hinges on Demacia and Noxus warring against each other.

Nocturne: It shall be done.

Nocturnes vanishes into the shadows.

Thresh: I will hunt down their leaders. Without guidance and strength of command, chaos will overtake their ranks, and they will break beneath my chains.

Thresh warps out in green flames and a demonic laugh.

Karthus: Soon, all will be mine!

Karthus laughs maniacally.


End file.
